by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright Oct. 8, 2009
All Rights Reserved.

      After blackmailed for $2 million by CBS news producer Robert Halderman, 62-year-old “Late Night” host David Letterman confessed Oct. 5 on national TV that he indeed had numerous affairs largely with female underlings over the years.  Stating that those affairs “are in the past,” the late-night comic admitted his wife Regina Lasko was “horribly hurt by my behavior.”  Letterman’s mea culpa was directed at his wife, not the scores of writers and co-workers, corporate sponsors, network bosses, and, yes, millions of viewers that accepted him into their living rooms each weeknight.  “Let me tell you folks, I go my work cut out for me,” said Letterman, referring to repairing his marriage but ignoring the damage done to everyone else.  While there was nothing “illegal” about his peccadillos, the damage done to CBS was incalculable.  Letterman played fast-and-loose and got burned.

            CBS President and CEO Leslie Moonves can’t ignore the damage done by Letterman to CBS’s brand.  While no one expects celebrities to be perfect, his depravity does far more damage than former CBS “Evening News” anchor Dan Rather, forced to resign in Nov. 23, 2004 because of his failure to properly vet forged documents about former President George W. Bush’s military service.  Despite his departure, Rather continues to battle to salvage his reputation.  Consumed by the tabloids, Letterman’s affairs dominate the headlines, diverting attention away from more responsible CBS programming.  “If we are now holding late-night talk-show host to the same moral accountability as we hold politicians or clergymen, I’m out,” said CBS “Late, Late Show” host Craig Ferguson.  “I’m gone,” trying to make light of what looks like a career-ending mistake.

           Letterman’s entourage is well-aware of the potential consequences.  Giving some exculpatory background, his production company spokesman Tom Kenny confirmed that his boss’ affairs occurred before Letterman’s March 19, 2009 marriage, nearly six years after the birth of his son Harry in 2003.  How Kenny’s admission help’s Letterman is anyone’s guess?  He basically admitted that far from a youthful indiscretions, the depravity with young CBS female employees and interns continued up until March.  Whatever Halderman’s motives in admitting Letterman’s affairs—money or retaliation—he opened up a can of worms for CBS, now expecting endless sexual harassment suits.  Sexual harassment suits are no laughing matter.  “My thanks to the staff for, once again, putting up with something stupid I’ve gotten myself involved in,” said Letterman, ignoring what he’s done to CBS Corporation.        

            Letterman’s former assistant Stepahnie Birkitt detailed her affair in a diary found by her boyfriend  Halderman, a CBS producer of  the true-crime show “48 Hours Mystery.”  His attempt to blackmail his girlfriend’s ex-boss helps create more sympathy for Letterman.  Corporations, like CBS, have more at stake than whether Letterman beats NBC’s “Tonight Show” with Conan O’Brien in the Nielson ratings.  NBC made a huge miscalculation moving former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno to a new ten-o’clock evening time-slot.  While there’s a slight difference in the ratings, Letterman should have creamed O’Brien.  Letterman’s survival now has more to do with sponsors, than whether he can poke fun at his indiscretions.  CBS President Les Moonves won’t find it too funny when the sexual harassment suits begin crossing his desk.  Behind closed doors, Mooves examines his options.

            Last January, Letterman was in contract talks with CBS, reportedly through 2010 for $30 million.  While it’s unclear whether or not he finished signing contracts, there’s usually a moral turpitude clause, giving Moonves a way out.  Now that the shoe’s on the other foot, Letterman seems less comfortable with his late-night friends poking fun at his sexual indiscretions.  He was especially brutal when former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer got caught with a high-priced call girl.  “I mean, can you imagine,” said Letterman.  “If this happened to me how fast they’d have my . . .  [backside] out of here?”   Politicians are usually held to higher standards than celebrities.  In Spitzer’s case, it was hard to forgive the tough-minded former NY prosecutor who relentless went after prostitution.  Sexually harassing female employees exposed CBS Corporation to potentially unending litigation.

            President Les Moonves—and the CBS board of directors—must take a serious look at how Letterman damaged the CBS brand.  Whatever his feeble attempt at on-air damage control, it doesn’t put the genie back in the bottle.  Network sponsors don’t like the kind of notoriety that Letterman now brings to their products.  Sexually harassing female employees up until his recent marriage in March 2009 doesn’t bode well for CBS as more victims come forward in the near future.  CBS should seriously consider accelerating Letterman’s retirement, beginning talks with Comedy Central’s “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart.  Of all the network or cable talk show hosts, none would make a more seamless transition than Stewart.  Moonves must act quickly with Letterman or further risk damage to the CBS brand, currently under siege with the latest mishap with its on-air talent.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.